Railroad-crossing



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. J. MOXHAM. RAILROAD CROSSING.

No. 477,681. Patented June 28, 1892.

WIT NESSES MM f ATTORNEY sheets-Sheef 2;.

(No Model.)

A. J. MOXHAM.

` RAILROAD CROSSING. 10.477,681.

Patented June 28, 1892. X

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@ 4 2 ATTRNEY WITNESSES m r UNITED ASTATES l PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, OF JOHNSTVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,681, dated J une 28, 1892. Application iiled September 22, 1891r Serial No. 406,497. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, of Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Crossing, which invention is fully set forth and illustrated in the following speciiication and accompanying drawings.

The objects ot' thisinvention are to provide a strong, safe, and durable crossing for streetcars over or across steam-railroad tracks which can be put in place without disturbing the latter track, and also to provide a strong and eiicientguard for wheels passing over the steam-railroad track.

The invention will first be described in detail, and then particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a general view in plan of the crossing. Fig. 2 shows in detail enlarged, one of the corners of the crossing at the right-hand side of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is avertical section taken through Fig. 2 at the line Y Y. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through Fig. 2 at the line X X. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in plan, partly in section, of certain details hereinafter described. Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken through Fig` 5 at the line Z Z.

In Said figures the several parts are respect-` ively indicated by reference-letters,`as follows: f

The crossing consists of two outer portions A A and the centerportion B. In each of said outer portions the letter a indicates the rails of the street -car track, seated upon chairs c, secured to the cross-ties T. Said rails are connected to an L-shaped bar E (laid parallel to the through-rails D) either by means of the angle splice-bars e, as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. l,or by being directly welded to said L-bar, as shown at the point w at the left-hand side of said figure. In the latter case of course splice-bars can be dispensed with.

The guard portions g of the rails a are planed or otherwise cutaway to a level with the head portion j to the points h, in order that no obstruction may be offered to the passage of snow-plows, which are sometimes attached to locomotives passing over the through-rails D and overhang said rails on either side.

The letters C C indicate chocks between the L-bars E and the rails D, which fit into the concavities in the sides of said rails, as shown `in detail in Fig. 3. Said chocks are preferably located directly opposite the crossing-rails d ct; but should said rails come opposite to a joint or splice-bar on the rails VD the chocks should then be placed as near to this point as possible. Said chocks may be attached to the `bars E by being directly welded thereto, as shown at w at the lefthand side of Fig. l, or they may be attached by means of the bolts i, as shown at the righthand side of said figure, in which latter case said bolts pass through the angle splice-bars e when said splice-bars are used to connect the rails c to the bar E.

Referring now to the center portion of the crossing7 (marked 13,) said portion consists of two L-shaped bars H H', parallel with the through-rails D between the crossing-rails F F and curved beyond said crossing-raills to a common junction at the points J 102. At the point J the ends of said bars are shown as united and reinforced by means of the splicebars ls; but at the point to2 the other ends of said L-bars are shown as welded together'. It is obvious that either the welded or the splice-bar connection could 'be used .at both ot said points. The ends of the IL bars, though preferably thus united, maybe, if desired, entirely disconnected.

`The heads of the crossing-rails F F abut the L-bars H H', and said rails may be connected thereto either by means of splice-bars e', as shown atthe right-hand side of Fig. l,

or by being directly welded thereto, as shown at the points w3 at the left-hand side of said igure.

At the points marked C', Figs. l, 2, and 3, between the through-rail D and L-bar H, are provided chocks, which may be connected to said L-bar either by means of bolts z or by welding, both methods of connecton being illustrated in Fig. l, the letter 1.04 indicating the welded connection. On the opposite side, between the through-rail D and L-bar H', removable chocks W are provided. If the checks used on both sides were of the form of the chocks C', it would be impossible to place the center portion Bin position without either removing the rails D or sliding the chlocks in IOO 2 Livr/,esi

from the ends. It would, however, be difficult to slide such checks into place, and if a joint existed in the rail D it would be impossible to slide the chocks past said joint. This difficulty is overcome by the use of the removable checks WV, Figs. l, 5, and 6, which are entered into the curved portion of the guard-piece II II and at the ends, where easily accessible. By referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the checks NV are provided with recesses n to' permit access to the bolts and nuts d, which bolts pass through slots 0 and secure said chocks to the web of the Lbar I'I. It is obvious, however, lthat said chocks,instead of being made solid, as shown, and provided with recesses, could be made hollow or of skeleton form, as shown in my pending application, Serial No. 373,662, tiled December 5, 1890.

It will be observed that the chocks W are not bolted to the main rails D, but only to the L-bar Il. By this construction the inner part P of the crossing can be laid between the through-rails D, pushed into place with the attached chocks C bearing against the web of one of said through-rails, and the removable choeks WV then slipped in from either end and attached to the lguard-piece I-I H at an accessible point.

The purpose of the guard-piece I-I II is as follows: In practice there is considerable play in the trucks of steam-railroad cars passing over the rails D and consequent oscillation of the wheels from one side to the other. The bent ends of said guard-piece offer to an approaching train something to guide its wheels into the groove between the through-rails D and the L-bars H H', forming the guard-piece.

In railroad-crossings heretofore it has been proposed to use two rails having their ends bent to act as a guard; but such rails sobent depend upon spikes to hold them in place. By uniting into one piece both of the bars forming the guard-piece, as herein described,

great constructive strength is secured and the whole interior portion B of the crossing takes the impact of an approaching train instead of a portion thereof. This is an important advantage, for it has been found extremely difficult to keep independent guard-pieces in order.

By the construction herein described the whole crossing can be made out of rolled or forged steel or other metal and can be put in a steam-railroad track without the least disturbance of the latter.

The rails shown as forming the street-railroad track are well known to the trade as girder guard-rails, but, if desired, any other suitable form of rail may be substituted therefor.

I do not herein broadly claim a guard-piece composed of rails united at their ends, nor do I claim the removable checks W per se, as such features are claimed in my pending application above mentioned; but,

Having thus fully described my said inveiiL tion, I claiml. In a railroad-crossing, guard rails or bars between the through-rails, curved and welded together at their ends.

2. In a railroad-crossing, L-shaped guardpieces between the througlrrails, each having its ends curved and one of its sides horizontal and iiush with the upper surface of said th rough-rails.

In a railroad-crossing, L-shaped bars between the through-rails, curved and united at `ends into a guard-piece complete for either direction, said guard-piece being provided with chocks between it and the through-rails.

7. In a railroad-crossin g, a guard-piece composed of L-shaped bars curved at their ends to form the same, in combination with a through-rail and a removable chock, as W, having one straight and one curved face and provided with a recess or recesses, for the purposes set forth.

8. In a railroad-crossing, a guard-piece provided with a chock or checks between said guard-piece and the through-rail, welded to said guard-piece.

9. In a railroad-crossing, a guard-piece composed of L-shaped bars curved at their ends to form the same and provided with a chock or chocks between said guard-piece and the through-rail,welded to said guard-piece.

l0. In a railroad-crossin g, a guard-piece provided with chocks welded thereto and removable chocks, said chocks being located between said guard-piece and the through-rails.

ll. In a railroad-crossing, a guard-piece composed of L. shaped bars curved at their ends to form the same and provided with checks secured thereto and with removable chocks between said guard piece and the through-rails.

12. In a railroad-crossing, an L.shaped bar, as E, located outside of and parallel to the through-rails and having its upper surface IIS iiush with the upper surface of said through ige through-rail and having its upper surface Hush with the upper surface of said throughrail.

15. In a railroad-crossing, an L-shaped bar, as E, connecting the crossing-rails and welded to one or both of said rails.

16. In a railroad-crossing, the combination i of a through-rail, an L-shaped bar, as E, having its upper surface iiush with the upper su rface of said through-rail, a crossing-rail, and a chock between said bar and through-rail.

17. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of an L-shaped bar, as E, a crossing-rail welded to said bar, a through-rail, and a chock between said bar and through-rail, for the purposes set forth.

1S. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of a through-rail, a crossing-rail, an L-shaped bar, as E,and a chock or checks between said bar and through-rail, welded to said bar, for the purposes set forth.

I9. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of an L-shaped bar, as E, a through-rail, a crossing-rail, and a chock or chocks between said bar and through-rail, said crossing-rail and said chocks being welded to said bar.

20. In a railroad-crossing, the combination, with the through and crossing rails, of L- shaped bars, as E, a curved guard-piece, and chocks between said guard-piece and the through-rails.

21. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of through and crossing rails, L-shaped bars,

as E, a curved guard-piece, chocks welded to said guard-piece, and removable chocks, as W, said chocks being located between said guardpiece and the through-rails.

22. In a railroad-crossin g, the combination, with the through and crossing rails, of L- shaped bars, as E, a curved guardpiece, checks between said bars and the throughraiis, and checks between said guard-piece and the through-rails.

23. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of through and crossing rails, L-shaped bars, as E, chocks between said bars and the through-rails, welded to said bars, a curved guard-piece', and checks between said guardpiece and the through-rails, welded to said guard-piece.

24. In a railroad-crossing, the combination,

with the through and crossing rails, of L- shaped bars, as E, a curved guard-piece, checks between said bars and the throughrails, and fixed and removable chocks between said guard-piece and the through-rails.

25. In a railroad-crossing, the combination oi' through and crossing rails, L.-shaped bars, as E, checks between said bars and the through-rails, welded to said bars, a curved guard-piece, checks between said guard-piece and one through-rail, welded to said guardpiece, and removable chocks between said guard-piece and the other through-rail.

ARTHUR J. MOXHAM.

Witnesses:

A. J. BRYAN, WM. A. DONALDSON. 

